Lost Moments
by bibiwrites
Summary: How can fate be so cruel to make the boy who grew up alone leave his family? Sasuke Uchiha is forced to go on a solo mission to track down the Ōtsutsuki Clan and in the process leaves behind a wife and a child. A difficult decision he had to make. The distance testing their love for one another.


_Hi Thank you for dropping by to read my story:)_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto:(**

 **Chapter 1**

It was a typical Wednesday morning for Sakura, get ready,get Sarada ready,go the hospital,drop Sarada off at the hospital daycare and start her rounds and some office work. It was a routine she had followed from the time Sarada was born. She stayed at home for a few months but she loved being a medical ninja so she returned to work. She knew Sarada was well taken care of. Besides they were both in the same building. The hospital was much bigger than when she was a genin. This was mostly due to the fast technological changes. Sakura was sharp and knew she had to keep up with these changes. Unlike someone she knew she smiled to herself.

"You're smiling again."Shizune interrupted her thoughts and brought her back to the reality that was her office.

Sakura coloured a bit for being caught, "I was...I was thinking of my family."

"Oh that's right. Sasuke returns today. " Shizune remembered.

"Yesss." Sakura tried hard to keep her excited squeal to a minimum.

"He's been gone longer than usual." Shizune commented.

Sakura sighed. She leaned back in her chair. It wasn't her husband's first mission. It was his 9th mission. She had kept track. Each one longer than the other. They started when Sarada was 2 and a half years old. She was four years old now and although she asked where her papa was time and again she was a happy child. Sakura tried to push away the thoughts that came to her mind. Whether she liked it or not. It seemed Sasuke had to stay away from the village, from his family for a very long in order to fulfill his mission. Much longer than the four months he was away from them now.

"It's for the good of this village."Sakura said smiling.

"You don't have to hide your pain in front of me."Shizune told her.

"Honestly, for Sarada I will have to. She's growing up so fast and she's so smart. When she starts asking questions about her father, I will have to do my best to fill in the void." Sakura replied.

"You don't mean. That's not going to happen." Shizune comforted.

With a small snort,Sakura said, "Shizune there is no use pretending. You know. I know. Naruto knows. And Sasuke knows too."

"Oh Sakura. I'm so sorry."Shizune said her voice soft.

Sakura hightailed out of her office before she broke down in front of her collegue. It had been a few hours since she got to the hospital and she needed to get home anyway. She needed to be at home to welcome her husband. His daughter needed to be at home to welcome her papa.

Sakura got Sarada ready in a cute red dress reminiscent of one she used to wear as a genin. She, herself wore her normal home clothes. Her three quarter pants and a pink top that ended at her waist. She cooked a special dish with tomatoes and laughed as Sarada made a disgusting face.

"Papa loves tomatoes."she said scrunching up her face. She was sitting on the kitchen floor playing with her toys keeping Sakura company in the kitchen.

"Yes he does." Sakura laughed.

"Why?"she asked with curious wonder.

"Because he likes the way they taste."Sakura told her.

"But they don't taste nice."Sarada replied confused.

Sakura remembered the first time Sarada tasted a tomato. Sasuke had been away on a mission and Sarada had gotten hold of his stash. She had watched her papa eating the tomatoes not sharing them with her or mama. In her curiosity one day she found where he kept his tomatoes and imagine her horror when the sour taste reached her palate. Sarada had started bawling her eyes out and Sakura laughed and comforted her daughter at the same time. Whatever would Sasuke say if he knew his daughter hated tomatoes.

The food was ready and Sarada was looking cute as a button. Sakura wondered if she should dress up. She did miss her husband but then again Sasuke was unpredictable. He probably had his own plans. She didn't tell anyone but her husband was the most romantic person normally would've shared these things with Ino but they were such special moments that anyone who wasn't her would feel like Sasuke wasn't being himself. Sakura saw more of his true self in those moments when he was intimate with her. And not just physical intimacy. Although they were both very good at that. It was the quiet moments between them. The silent conversations. The whispers in the dark. The comfort in just being next to each other. How did you explain that to anyone? She could imagine Ino's response.

"So you like sitting silently with your husband. Creepy."

Finally in the evening, Sakura heard the knock on the door she was waiting for. Sarada had already beat her to the door, stretching her small hand she opened the door to reveal her papa. Sasuke was home. Her breathe hitched. He looked tired but well. Sasuke walked into the warmth of the house and shut the door He picked up their daughter and made his way to Sakura.

"I'm home."

"Welcome home."Sakura bit her lip to stop from crying. Luckily Sarada squirmed in her father's arm to get his attention.

"You look very cute Sarada."Sasuke complimented.

"Papa looks tired. "Sarada replied putting her chubby hands on his cheeks to emphasise. Sakura did everything she could to hold in her laughter.

"Uh...hmm yeah"Sasuke stumbled not knowing what to say. In the end Sarada stunned both of her parents by hugging Sasuke. She placed her hands around his neck and rested her small face on his shoulder.

"I missed you Papa." Sarada said. And with that,Sakura couldn't stop herself. She turned away so her daughter didn't have to see her crying face.

Sasuke closed his eyes for a brief moment. He knew why Sakura was crying. He wanted to comfort her but what could he say. Sakura already knew he was going to have to leave for a long time. It hurt him too. It hurt them both. And their beautiful innocent child. He wanted to yell at someone. Why couldn't he be happy with his family?

"Sa-Sakura."he stammered. She wiped her tears away and turned to face him.

"I'm sor-"Sakura placed a hand on his mouth to stop him from continuing.

"Don't apologise. You have nothing to be sorry about." Sakura said softly blinking away fresh tears.

"Mama sad?"Sarada asked. Sasuke and Sakura turned to look at their daughter. Her arms still around her father's neck, her eyes questioning.

"No, Mama is just happy to see Papa."Sakura replied smiling at her husband.

"Mama is smiling."Sarada squealed and squirmed in Sasuke's arm he had to put her down. Sarada hugged her mama's leg and ran to the kitchen in a joyous frenzy to play with her toys.

Sakura chuckled."Kids amrite? She's forgotten about us already."

Sasuke took a step closer and pulled Sakura into a hug. Sakura reciprocated with all she had. She felt tears welling up again. She was crazy. Her emotions were up and down. One second smiling the next second crying.

"I won't go if you say so." Sasuke said his voice muffled in her hair.

Sakura gripped him tighter. The offer was so tempting. So tempting. The thought of Sarada coming home to both parents warmed her heart but dammit she couldn't. She couldn't be selfish.

She pulled away from the hug,unhooked his cloak and put it aside. She grabbed his hand,"We'll talk about that later. Let's have dinner now."

 **A few weeks later.**

"PAPA"a wailing Sarada screamed.

Every step he took away from the village was tearing his heart to pieces. He was scum. He was the scum of the universe. How could he make his child cry? Don't show emotions had been his motto. If he didn't show them, he didn't feel them. Out of sight. Out of mind.

The day before Sasuke and Sakura had attended the Gokage meeting to let the Kages know about the mission. His good friend Naruto. There with him. Naruto had offered to come with Sasuke. He knew it came from a place of guilt. The seventh hokage knew exactly what Sasuke going on this mission meant. And he wanted to ease the pain by joining him. Sasuke couldn't allow that. He wasn't about to leave two sets of families without a husband and a father.

Sakura was strong. So very strong. She would take care of Sarada. They wouldn't miss him too much. They wouldn't. Eventually he couldn't take the crying sounds of his daughter anymore and teleported into another dimension.

How was he to know he had just missed one of his daughter's milestones.

"Sarada you've awakened your sharigan."Sakura said pulling the child closer to comfort her she wasn't alone. Her daughter wasn't alone and neither was she.

"I know why I'm doing this."Sasuke said to himself.

 **End of chapter 1**

 _Hey again lol...I hope you enjoyed the story:)_


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